Sheets of plastic laminates, for instance, those formed by the high-pressure lamination of sheets of melamine and phenolic plastics, have long been used for decorative application through bonding to a variety of surfaces. Such laminates are not only decorative, but easy to maintain; consequently, they have found wide application in homes, schools, offices, and similar areas, not only for use in connection with table and counter tops, but for the manufacture of a variety of furniture, as well as for other applications in which hard plastic surfaces are required. While plastic laminates continue to enjoy wide popularity for reasons including those mentioned in the foregoing, they are relatively expensive materials, entailing considerable installation costs. Furthermore, although the laminates are hard, durable structures, relatively resistant to accidental damage, they are somewhat brittle, and occasionally display a tendency to chip, to develop edge cracks, and to otherwise experience marring damage. In such instances, because of the relatively high cost of replacement, and since matching the laminate material is often hard to obtain, it is highly advantageous to be able to repair the laminates, providing that such repairs can be effected in a substantially undetectable manner.
In the past, materials have been developed for filling seams formed between abutting surfaces of the plastic laminates; however, the filling materials have not been sandable, and thus it is not always possible to produce a surface sufficiently smooth to be undetectable from the areas surrounding it. Furthermore, such materials are typically solvent-based, tending to present the drawbacks inherent in the use of substances containing solvents. Other fillers sometimes employed lack a surface sufficiently hard to withstand the physical contacts that the repairs are required to withstand. In addition, it is difficult to provide the color and design of the undamaged surface surrounding the reconstructed area, resulting in a patch area that is undesirably noticeable.